Talk of the day -- Taiwan condemns Pyongyang's provocative attack

2010/11/24 12:35:55

Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy C.T. Yang condemned NorthKorea Tuesday for its deadly attack on a South Korean island earlierthe same day that killed two South Korean marines and provoked aretaliatory attack from the South.

Yang voiced the condemnation in an evening news conference heldafter President Ma Ying-jeou called an emergency national securitymeeting to evaluate the general regional situation in the wake of thelatest armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

After listening to a briefing on the new regional developments,Ma did not call for an upgrade of military combat readiness, insteadasking the military to maintain its normal level of alert, governmentsources said.

Nevertheless, the sources said, the Ministry of National Defensedirected Gen. Chen Yung-kang, the deputy chief of the General Staff,to take charge at the emergency Hengshan Military Command Center insuburban Taipei.

The following are excerpts from local media coverage of theissue:

China Times:

North Korea fired dozens of shells at South Korea's Yeonpyeongisland in the Yellow Sea at around 1: 30 p.m. Tuesday (Taipei time),killing two South Korean marines and setting off an exchange of firein one of the most serious clashes between the two sides in decades.

The North blamed the South for starting the shelling exchange.South Korea acknowledged firing test shots in the area but deniedthat any fell into the North's territory.

At least 16 other South Korean soldiers and three civilians wereinjured, and the island's 1,200 residents were sent scrambling tobomb shelters.

The latest conflict occurred in the same area where a SouthKorean naval vessel, the Cheonan, was sunk in March, killing 46sailors. Seoul blamed a Pyongyang torpedo attack for the tragedy, butthe North has denied any role. (Nov. 24, 2010).

United Daily News:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman James Chang said theministry has no plans to evacuate Taiwanese expatriates in SouthKorea over the latest conflict in the Korean Peninsula, but will keepa close watch on developments there.

According to Chang, there are now about 21,000 Taiwaneseimmigrants in South Korea and scores of Taiwanese businessmen and 105students also live there. Most of them are in Seoul and Busan, bothfar away from the island where the latest flare-up erupted, Changsaid.

The MOFA will maintain a "gray" travel advisory on South Korea toremind travelers to be careful while visiting the country, he added.(Nov. 24, 2010).

Commercial Times:

Market analysts said that if the latest conflict between the twoKoreas continues, local DRAM memory chip and flat-screen paneldisplay makers may benefit, because foreign customers are likely toswitch their orders from South Korean suppliers to Taiwanesesuppliers to avert any possible supply disruptions.

South Korean technology giants, such as Samsung and LG, playdonimant roles in the DRAM and display panel industries. (Nov. 24,2010).